Running Since October - End of Run

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 3318

Posted by: RStokes
Date: Jan 23 2017 9:49 AM

HOUSTON COUNTY:    The defendant failed to appear in court in October and has been on the run since October 19. The offense was Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Holston was originally arrested on November 25, 2013 for the Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance. Because of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences backlog of cases, the Houston County Grand Jury did not issue indictments until September 9, 2016.

Yes - arrested in 2013 and evidence not analyzed for Grand Jury Indictment until September 2016.

Following the indictment Holston was to appear in court before Hon. Larry Anderson for Arraignment in October. He failed to appear and has refused to surrender to the bondsman or court.

This morning Bail Enforcement Agents of A - Advantage Bonding hit the Rocky Creek Road address where he had been living. His mother said that Holston was not there. As agents pressed to search the house Holston came out.

Holston was taken into custody and turned over to the Houston County Sheriff Department.

ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC SCIENCES

In Holston's defense, being arrested in 2013 and not indicted until 2016, that is uncalled for. The management of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences is awful. 

The Director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences is appointed by the Alabama Attorney General. Once appointed, they only way that he can be removed from office is through impeachment like that of an elected District Attorney.

That means, once appointed, the Director is there for life unless he or she commits an impeachable offense. 

During my tenure as Houston County Coroner, at age 23, I served as President of the Alabama Coroner's Association. During my year I attempted to get legislation passed for an oversight committee over Forensic Sciences. The legislation failed. But even in the early 1980's I realized there were extensive problems with Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.

But as government normally does, they stick their heads in the sand and pretend things do not exist, and consistently tell lies to the public. And that has been the case of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.

A complete overhaul needs to be done. Just as soon as we find someone in Montgomery with backbone, then maybe something will be done.

But do not listen to the Legislators when they cry they need more money. They need management.

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